Bottle cap



June 12, 1934. A GRAHAM 1,963,050

BOTTLE CAP Filed Feb. 20, 1.931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY HIS ATTORNEY June 12, 1934.

A. H. GRAHAM BOTTLE GAP Filed Feb. 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY- HIS ATTORNEY Ma A). gz;

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in bottle caps and more particularly to valve means forming an integral part of the original bottle cap for releasing the contents held under pressure within the bottle, and conserving any un. used portion of such contents.

An object of the invention is to provide means for permitting the gradual dispensing of carbonated beverages in bottles, and by automatic closing to retain any unused portion of the beverage without loss of its pressure. A further object of my invention is to provide means for carrying out the above objects in a simple, effective and practical manner and in awaywhich will not materially increase the cost of'manufacture of the bottle cap nor undulycomplicate the manufacturing or capping operations. A further object of the invention is to provide valve means forming an integral part of the ordinary type bottle cap, having sides adapted to be crimped down over the lip of the bottle, which valve means shall operate in conjunction with the bottle cap for releasing or retaining the carbonated beverage contained therein.

With the ordinary bottle containing carbonated beverages, the beverage is sealed under pressure within the bottle by means of a tin crown or cap and a resilient disc, usually cork, held within the sides of the cap which sides are forced or pressed down over the mouth of the bottle and crimped thereon to tightly grip it. The beverage is dispensed by pulling off the cap entirely and pouring the beverage out of the bottle, and if not all the beverage is used it cannot be retained satisfactorily in the bottle, merely by replacing the original cap, for the cap being loos ned by being pulled off no longer tightly grips the bottle, but permits escape of the gas, so that the rm. aining beverage quickly loses its carbonation. Nei her is it possible on opening the ordinary bottle to dispense the beverage in a thin forcible stream. commonly known as fizzing", in any satisfactory manner without the use of a separate and relatively expensive device which replaces the cap and is specially designed for this purpose. It is an obvious advantage that a device capable of overcoming the defects inherent in the use of the ordinary bottle may be an integral part of the original bottle cap itself, that the beverage may be dispensed without removing the cap, and that the closing device is automatic in operation, and that such a device may be provided without ma. terially adding to the cost of manufacture.

The use of the cap embodying'my invention will also permit great economies in the handling and distribution of carbonated beverages, since large size bottles holding one quart or more can now be used exclusively. Heretofore, these beverages have been dispensed in comparatively small size bottles because, if the consumer desired to use only a. small amount of the beverage, any portion remaining after the bottle had once been opened would quickly lose its carbonation and become wasted. While various types of caps have been devised to achieve the foregoing advantages, they have usually been special caps to be used after a bottle has once been opened and have not completely prevented the escape of, gas, or they have been too complicated to manufacture. The simplicity and economy with which my valve cap can be manufactured now makes the use of such a cap entirely practical for the first time, though the desirability of such caps has long been recognized.

An important feature of my invention lies in the fact that the bottle is completely sealed until it is ready to be used, and there is no possibility of leakage through the valve means. When the beverage is to be consumed, the seal is broken for the first time by piercing through the cork disc forming the fluid tight joint between the bottle and cap, through the metal disc usually provided above it, between the cork disc and the cap. The opening in the valve is brought into registration with the aperture or opening in the cap and a sharp pick or other instrument is thrust through the metal and cork discs at this point, breaking the seal for the first time. Thus the bottle is maintained with its original pressure unimpaired until ready. to be used, and the loss of pressure through the possibility of leaky valve means is prevented until the relatively short period of use when the danger of such leakage is no longer a serious matter. From a practical standpoint this is important, because in a bottle closure of this nature, if it will substantially increase the cost of manufacture, the valve means cannot be made fluid tight in every case.

It is obvious, of course, that ,my invention is not limited in its use to carbonated beverages, but is adapted to dispense any material retained under pressure, whether liquid or gas.

Otherobjects, advantages and novel features of my invention appear in'the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one form of my invention. 1 o

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection of a second form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the modification shown in Fig. 3 on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a thirdform of;

modification shown in Fig. 7 on .the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of a. fifth form of my invention. Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section of the modification shown in Fig. 9, with the valve in closed position.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of a sixth form of my invention. I

Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical section of the modification shown-in Fig. 11, with the valve in closed position.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the first form of my invention, 10 indicates the neck of a glass bottle, having the usual annular shoulder 11, around which extends the sides of a metal cap 12, comprising an annular flange and crimped to tightly grip the bottle. Over the top of the bottle and within the cap is placed a disc of cork 13 providing a resilient surface to seal the bottle, and positioned di-' rectly above the cork layer is a thin metal disc 14, as is usually customary in bottles containing carbonated beverages. The cap 12, similar in other respects to the usual bottle cap, in my invention is made with a round chamber 15 with walls 16 pressed upwardly out of its top to provide space for the valve mechanism, and preferably centrally on the top of the cap is drilled or punched the aperture 17 with slightly upward extending annular flange 18 which forms the opening for the bottle. Disposed in chamber 15 and movable therein in the general plane of'said chamber orparallel with the top of the cap is the fiat rectangular metallic piece comprising the valve member 19, closely surrounded and abutted' on three and a half sides by the wire 20, one end of which is coiled around the interior of walls 16 in chamber 15 to form a spring 21, the other end opposite the spring section extending laterally through the hole 22 in walls 16 to form the lever 23, on the end of which lever is placed the fiat button piece 24. The valve mechanism is thus contained in chamber 15 between the top of cap 12 and metal disc 14. The valve member 19 is movable horizontally back and forth in a straight line in chamber 15 in the plane of said chamber, inwardly upon the application of pressure against button 24, and outwardly upon the reacting pressure of spring 21. A hole 25 is placed in valve member 19, so positioned that inward pressure upon button 24 will move'hole 25 as to register with the hole 17 in the cap, but in normal closed position hole 25 lies at one side of hole 1'7 so that the hole 17 is completely closed by valve member 19, the position of hole 17 with respect to valve member 19 when closed being indicated on valve member 19 in dotted lines.

To operate the valve, button 24 is pushed in against spring 21, as far as it will go, in which position hole 25 is directly under hole 17 in the cap. A small pick or other similar device is then sharply thrust through holes 1'7 and'25 to punch out a similar hole through metal disk 14 and cork disc 13, which opens the bottle. Then holding the button 24 inwardly with the finger and inverting the bottle permits the carbonated beverage, being under pressure, to be forced through ,holef1'7 in the cap, until thebottle'is emptied or the desired amount of the beverage has been forced out. The bottle may be closed, however, at any time by merely releasing button 24, the pressure of spring 21 automatically forcing valve member 19 back to normal position, thus closing hole 17 and the bottle is then sealed against the further escape of liquid or gas.

In this manner the original cap is not removed but remains on the bottle until its contents are emptied, holding the entire contents under control at all times. The device being made integral with the cap is capableof economical and simple manufacture and does not materially complicate the process of capping the bottles. If desired, a central hole may be punched through the metal disc 14 and cork disc 13 as to register with hole 17 in the cap before the discs are placed on the bot: tle, the orifices being ordinarily closed by valve member 19, and likewise the lever23 may be bent vertically as not to extend laterally beyondthe edge of cap 12.

In Figs. 3 and 4 a second form of my invention is disclosed wherein the valve member 19a moves in the plane of the chamber but in an are about a pivot 26 to bring the hole 25a into registration with hole 17a. In this form of thedevice, the walls of chamber 15a are not as high as in the first form and valve member 1911 is composed of a small metallic disc, pivoted to move in the plane of the chamber about pin 26. Protruding laterally through a horizontal slit provided in the walls 16a of chamber 15 is the flat lever 23a which is an integral extension of valve member 19a. Within valve member 19a the hole 25a is punched which moves in an are about pivot 26 into registration with hole 17a of the cap, and surrounding one half of the circumference of valve member 19a and opposing its movement about the pivot 26, is the wire 20a forming a compression spring 21a coiled around the interior of walls 16a of the chamber. In this form, the device is operated by pushing the lever 23a forward in the plane of the chamber until hole 25a registers with hole 17a of the cap, (the normal position of hole 17a with respect to the valve member being represented in dotted lines in Fig. 4) and then a hole is punched under 17a through cork disc 13 and metal disc 14, as before, which again permits escape of the beverage on inverting the bottle. Releasing the lever 23a then allows valve member 19a to be swung into its original position by spring 21a, thereby closing the bottle by closing the aperture 17a in the cap.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a slightmodificaticn of the second form of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein the valve member 195 moves in the plane of the chamber in an are about the pivot 26b, but in place of the lever 23a extending horizontally beyond the periphery of the cap, the vertical lever 27 is substituted so that there may be no obstruction to the capping operation. Lever 2'7 is topped with round flat head 28. whose vertical sides are vertically grooved to facilitate turning of the head on the thumb and lever 27 is rigidly fixed to valve member 19b, so that turning the head 28 in a clockwise direction moves hole 25b into registration with hole 17!) of the cap. In this form the shape of spring 21b is 1,903,050 slightly modified from 21a, the shape of the valve member is likewise modined, opening holes are located nearer the edge of the cap.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is disclosed a'iourth form of my invention, wherein the valve member 19c, instead of being a flat rectangular metallic piece, is a long narrow block substantially rectangular in cross-section (Fig. 8) and the compression spring 21c is mounted on lever 23c on the exterior oi the cap 12c. The chamber 15c housing the valve member 19c conforms in shape to the valve member, and is again pressed upwardly out of the top of the cap 12, and centrally in the top 01' chamber 15c a similar aperture is punched out, having the similar short annular flanges 18c. Extending laterally from-the end of valve member 19c and through hole 220 at the end of chamber 15c is the lever 23c bearing on its outer end the button 24c, and mounted on said lever between wall 16c and button 240 and exteriorly of the cap is the compression spring 210. A vertical hole 250 is drilled in valve member 19 near its spring end, so as to register with the hole 170 in the cap, when the valve member is pushed in against spring 210. With valve member 19c pushed in its full length and hole 250 being directly under 170, a hole is then punched through cork and metal discs 13 and 14 as before, thus opening the bottle. In normal position, of course, hole 170 is closed by valve member 190, the closing again being automatic.

A fifth form of my invention is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein the'valve member 19d is a conical cylinder and the motion of the valve member operating to open and close the bottle is semi-circular around an axis in the plane of said chamber of the valve member. In this form, also, the lever 23d does not extend laterally beyond the periphery of the cap, but a handle 29 is rigidly fixed to the other end of lever 23d and extends transversely thereto. The chamber 15d corresponds substantially in shape to chamber 150, but as valve member 19d is a conical cylinder, a valve seat block 30 is provided within chamber 15d housing the valve member. The spring 21d is mounted on lever 23d exteriorly of chamber/15d, and is fixed at its ends to the wall 16d and to lever 23d, as to keep the valve member in closed position and seated within block 30. A hole 25d is drilled through valve member 19d to register with hole 17d in the cap when in open position, but normally valve member 19d is held by spring 21d with the hole 25d in vertical position. thus closing the bottle. As before, corresponding holes may be punched through the metal and cork discs Hand 13. or these holes may be provided when the bottle is originally sealed. The device is operated merely by pressing handle 29 to horizontal position, thus aligning hcle 25d with hole 17d, and is automatically closed by spring 21d on' merely releasing handle 29.

A sixth form of my invention is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, wherein valve member 19c is a conical cylinder, but is not provided with a transverse hole therein, and operates to open and close by moving in the general plane of the chamber backward and forward. Valve member 19a is housed in chamber l5e as in the previous form of my device, and is mounted within valve seat block 30c. Lever 23c fitting tightly extends outward laterally through wall 16c, of the chamber and carries on its outer 'end the button 24c and mounted on said lever, exteriorly of the cap 12e is the compression spring 21c. With this form of the device, holes registering with holes 17a in the cap are necessarily provided in cork and metal discs 13 and 14 prior to sealing, as they cannot be punched through afterward, To'opcrate, button 24c is merely pushed inwardly and as valve member is tapered towards its spring end, pushing in the valve member provides space between the valve and seat block 30c connecting with the hole 17c in the cap, through which the beverage is forced by its pressure.

It is to'be understood thatthe above examples are given as illustrations of my device and that my invention not limited thereto, as it is apparent that various modifications may be made in the device without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

While the invention is described as being usedwith the ordinary metallic bottle cap having crimped sides, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in a bottle cap of any other material, such as bakelite, which cap may bescrewed or otherwise attached to the bottle.

I claim:

1. In combination, a container closing device adapted to form an original and permanent cosure for a container having a fluid tight seal, comprising acap having sides adapted to engage the mouth of the container, and valve means mounted 'in a chamber formed in the top of said cap and operable to release the contents held within said container under pressure on breaking through said seal when the contents are to be used, or to maintain said container in sealed condition.

2. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type comprising a cap having sides adapted to be fastened to the bottle and carrying an inner packing for sealing the bottle and capable of being broken for releasing the contents hed within saidbottle under pressure without removing said cap from said bottle, and valve means mounted in a chamber formed in the top of said cap and adapted to release the contents of said bottle or to maintain the bottle in sealed condition on breaking through said inner packing when the contents are to be used.

3. A bottle stopper, comprising a cap adapted to be fastened to the bottle and having an aperture in the top of said cap and carrying an inner packing for sealing said bottle, and valve means mounted in a chamber formed in the top of said cap cooperating with said aperture for controlling the release of the contents he'd within said bottle under pressure on breaking said inner packing through said aperture when the contents are to be on breaking through said packing, and automatic means for closing said valve andthereby sealing said botte.

5. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type com prising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing within said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing and movable in the plane of said chamber for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture, and

resilient means forautomatically closingsaid valve and thereby sealing said bottle. 6. A-bottle stopper of the crown seal type compfrisinga cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing within said cap adapted to close the "mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said means interiorly mountedwithin said chamber for automatically closing said valve and thereby sealing said bottle;

' 7. A bottle stopperof' the crown seal type comprising a 'cap' having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing within said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and. valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing and in the plane of said chamber movable transversely of the bottle axis for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture, and resilient means mounted exteriorly of said chamber for automatically closing said valve and thereby sealing said bottle.

8. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted .to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a pack ing within said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing and in the plane of said chamber movable transversely of the bottle axis for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture, manual means for opening said valve, and resilient means for automatically closing said valve and thereby sealing said bottle.

9. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing within said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing and rotatable about an axis transversely of the bottle axis for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture, and resilient means for automatically closing said valve and thereby sealing said bottle.

10. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type, comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing in said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing, comprising resilient means normally holding the valve closed and the bottle sealed, but yieldable to external force to open the valve, and thereby release the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture.

11. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type,

comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing in said cap adapted to close the mouth of {the bottle, an aperturejn the top of said cap, valve meanscarried in a chamber in said orifice has been moved into registration with said aperture.

12. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type,

comprising a cap havin an annularflange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing in said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap,

valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing, having an orifice movable into registration with said aperture. for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture when said orifice has been moved into register with said aperture, and resilient means for moving said orifice out of registration with said aperture.

13. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing in saidcap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing, having an orifice movable into registration with said aperture for releasing the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture when said orifice has been moved into register with said aperture, resilient means for moving said orifice out of registration with said aperture, and manual means for moving said orifice into registration with said aperture against the action of said resilient means.

14. A bottle stopper of the crown seal type comprising a cap having an annular flange adapted to securely fasten to the lip of the bottle, a packing in said cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means carried in a chamber in said cap above said packing comprising resilient means interiorly mounted within said chamber and movable transversely of the bottle axis for releasing when compressed the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing at a point beneath said aperture, and when uncompressed for closing said valve.

15. A bottle stopper adapted to form an original and permanent stopper for the bottle, comprising a cap having sides adapted to engage the mouth of the bottle, a packing enclosed within said cap and adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, an aperture in the top of said cap, and valve means mounted in a chamber formed in the top of said cap cooperating with said aperture and adapted without being removed from the bottle to release the contents held within said bottle under pressure on breaking through said packing when the contents are to be used, and for retaining any unused portion of said contents with its proportionate pressure unimpaired.

- ALAN H. GRAHAM. 

